Last year Adelaide came 5th but bowed out in the first week of the finals, but there was to be no repeat this time as the Crows dominated Essendon in a one-sided display to open the finals series with a 96-point victory at AAMI Stadium on Friday night.With captain Matthew Lloyd out suspended after last week’s spiteful clash against the Hawks, the Bombers must have been sorely tempted to try to talk retired forward Scott Lucas into pulling the boots on for one last game. But the Bombers, even with an under-manned forward line, put up a spirited display early and trailed by only a kick at the first change.But the second quarter was one-way traffic, as the Crows ran at will to score 8 goals to 2 for the quarter and extend their lead to 39 points at half time. And the premiership quarter only extended the Adelaide advantage, a 6 goals to 3 quarter putting the game beyond the Bombers’ reach. From there it was only a matter of playing out time, but another 8 goals to 2 quarter put the game to within a kick of the 100-point winning margin.Jason Porplyzia kicked 5 goals and Kurt Tippett 4 for the Crows; while Andrew McLeod was prolific around the ball with 31 possessions. Adam McPhee kicked 4 goals in the Bombers’ makeshift forward line; but after the first quarter the Bombers never looked a chance to kick a winning score.The Crows remain alive in the finals series, and will travel to Melbourne next week to take on the loser of the St Kilda v Collingwood match. Essendon’s season is over, a season in which the Bombers qualified for the finals for the first time since 2004 and the first time under Matthew Knights’ coaching. But in a season in which the Bombers lost more games than they won, their role in the finals was nothing more than to make up the numbers.Adelaide 4.3 12.4 18.9 26.10 (166)Essendon 3.3 5.7 8.8 10.10 (70)Goals : Adelaide – J Porplyzia 5, K Tippett 4, C Knights 3, B Burton 3, R Douglas 2, P Dangerfield 2, B Vince, T Edwards, T Hentschel, S Thompson, I Maric, D Mackay, J Sellar. Essendon – A McPhee 4, H Skipworth 2, A Monfries, M Quinn, B Stanton, A Lovett.Best : Adelaide – A McLeod, B Vince, J Porplyzia, B Reilly, I Maric, B Symes. Essendon – A Welsh, B Stanton, A McPhee, N Lovett-Murray, J Winderlich, A Monfries.Injuries : Adelaide – Nil. Essendon – Nil.Reports: Adelaide – B Vince for wrestling M McVeigh in the fourth quarterUmpires – S McBurney, M Stevic, S Ryan.Crowd - 50,393 at AAMI Stadium.

Geelong have booked themselves a preliminary final berth, after the Cats were 14 points too good for the Western Bulldogs in an absorbing match at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.The Cats’ form heading into the finals hadn’t been as good as earlier in the season, but they were to return to their best in a dominant first quarter. Racing out of the blocks, the Cats had six goals on the board within 20 minutes, and the match looked poised for a blowout. Gary Ablett and Joel Corey were getting plenty of the footy, and Corey Enright accumulated 18 touches in the first quarter alone; and with Jimmy Bartel weighing in with three first quarter goals the Cats were looking well set.But the Bulldogs fought back, and after winning the second quarter found themselves within striking distance. And when Jason Akermanis scored twice within the first five minutes of the third term, the margin was back to 9 points. The contest looked alive, but that was as close as the Bulldogs were allowed to go as the Cats again clicked back into gear with six of the next seven goals.The Bulldogs refused to surrender, and with 4 goals to 1 in the final quarter reduced the margin to less than three goals. But time was running out, and the Cats were able to hang on to ensure themselves the week off. The Bulldogs will play the winner of the Brisbane v Carlton match next week.Geelong 6.5 7.5 13.9 14.12 (96)Western Bulldogs 2.1 4.3 8.4 12.10 (82)Goals : Geelong – J Bartel 3, M Stokes 2, C Mooney 2, P Chapman, B Ottens, C Enright, C Ling, G Ablett, A Mackie, H Taylor. Bulldogs – J Akermanis 3, B Johnson 2, S Higgins 2, R Griffen, B Hudson, S Welsh, J Hill, L Gilbee.Best : Geelong – C Enright, M Scarlett, G Ablett, J Corey, A Mackie, D Milburn. Bulldogs - L Gilbee, J Akermanis, B Lake, C Ward, B Hudson, M Boyd.Injuries : Geelong - M Rooke (thigh) replaced in selected side by S Hogan. Bulldogs – Nil.Reports – Nil. Umpires - Vozzo, Meredith, Kennedy.Crowd - 74,007 at MCG.

Brisbane remained alive in the 2009 season and ended the Blues’ campaign when the Lions came from five goals behind to defeat Carlton by 7 points at the Gabba on Saturday night.The first half was an evenly-contested affair, with the lead changing hands several times as the two sides battled for supremacy. The Blues led by a goal at the first change, and at the long break the Lions led by a point.The third quarter, often the defining quarter in a game, saw the Blues take the ascendancy. With Chris Judd in control in the midfield; ably assisted by plenty of possessions by Ryan Houlihan and Bryce Gibbs, the Blues scored 6 goals to 2 for the quarter to lead by 24 points at three-quarter time. And when Brendan Fevola marked and goaled in the opening minute of the final quarter, it was looking good for the Blues.But somehow their momentum ground to a halt and they were unable to manage another goal for the day. At 8 minutes, Jonathan Brown marked uncontested and had little difficulty in kicking the goal that would kick-start the Lions’ fightback. Three more goals came in the next 5 mnutes and suddenly there was only a kick in it. And a double to Daniel Bradshaw, bringing his tally to 5 for the game, was enough to get the home side over the line to keep their season alive.Brisbane Lions 4.4 8.7 10.10 16.15 (111)Carlton 5.4 8.6 14.10 15.14 (104)Goals : Brisbane – D Bradshaw 5, J Brown 4, J Sherman 2, T Johnstone 2, D Rich, M Redden, R Hooper. Carlton – B Fevola 3, C Cloke 2, N Stevens 2, E Betts, A Carrazzo, J Garlett, R Houlihan, C Judd, M Kreuzer, M Murphy, J Russell.Best : Brisbane – S Black, D Bradshaw, M Rischitelli, J Sherman, D Merrett, L Power. Carlton – C Judd, J Russell, B Fevola, B Thornton, K Simpson, B Gibbs.Injuries : Brisbane - J Drummond (quad) and J Macdonald (soreness) replaced in selected side by R Hooper and J Hawksley. Carlton – A Joseph (ankle).Reports – Nil. Umpires - McLaren, Wenn, Jeffery.Crowd - 32,702 at Gabba.

St Kilda progressed through to the preliminary final when the Saints completed a 28-point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday.After sweeping all before them for much of the home and away season, the Saints stumbled with the finals in sight with losses in round 20 and 21. And again the Saints didn’t look convincing early, with the Magpies out-pressuring the minor premiers in the first quarter to lead by 8 points at the first change. But the Saints began to hit their straps in the second, a run of 5 goals to 2 putting the Saints 10 points clear at half time.Collingwood suffered a severe setback early in the third term, when midfielder Scott Pendlebury departed with a suspected broken leg. With long-kicking forward Anthony Rocca already sidelined with an ankle injury, the Magpies’ bench had been cut in half; and the midfield would miss the drive of Pendlebury as the St Kilda centre line began to assert themselves.Three goals to 2 extended the lead to 17 points at the last change. The game wasn’t secure yet, but when Nick Riewoldt kicked his 5th goal the game looked headed the Saints’ way. The Magpies tried hard to get back into the game, but the St Kilda defence held firm and the Magpies were held to a solitary goal in the last quarter.The Saints go straight through to a preliminary final at the MCG, while Collingwood will be back in action at the MCG on Saturday night to take on Adelaide.St Kilda 1.2 6.4 9.7 12.8 (80)Collingwood 2.4 4.6 6.8 7.10 (52)Goals : St Kilda – N Riewoldt 5, J Koschitzke 2, A McQualter 2, B Goddard, A Schneider, S Milne. Collingwood – A Rocca 2, D Thomas 2, L Anthony, P Medhurst, L Davis.Best : St Kilda – S Fisher, N Riewoldt, C Jones, L Montagna, L Hayes, N Dal Santo. Collingwood – T Cloke, L Thomas, H Shaw, N Maxwell, H O’Brien, D Swan.Injuries : St Kilda – Nil. Collingwood – S Pendlebury (leg), A Rocca (ankle).Reports – Nil. Umpires - Rosebury, Chamberlain, McInerney.Crowd - 84,213 at the MCG.